Vintage Ford

Posted by 141drew Jan 20, 2010 at 12:31 PM and filed under News & Editorial

Man, did a buddy of mine find the mother load… I realize this isn’t entirely on topic, but you gotta be dead if you don’t enjoy this. Essentially, it’s a an album over 100 vintage photographs taken of vintage Ford buildings – dealerships, shops, etc… GOLDEN.

Check it out.

See Comments on the forum.

View thread (20 replies)

Bender78

Well-known member

Jan 20, 2010

What a great collection of photos. Thanks for sharing these Ryan.

It’s easy to forget how the dealerships operated in the inner cities before everything moved out to the suburbs. I recall going with my dad to take delivery of his new 1963 Ford Fairlane 500 Sport Coupe at Somers Ford in New Britain CT. The new cars were stored in a fenced in lot at the end of an alley between the downtown buildings. I was 5. Funny how my earliest memories are about cars. I guess I had the disease even then.

trythis

Well-known member

Jan 20, 2010

I bought a building that was once a Ford Charcoal briquettes distributors building. Not the same as a car dealership, but I did find out that is where the ford in Kingsford came from.

Snappy

Well-known member

Jan 20, 2010

I love the old vintage buildings,signs,gas pumps,etc. Those truly were the "good 'ole days".

Falcon67

Well-known member

Jan 20, 2010

Extra cool pics. Wouldn't you like to have one of those Ford neon signs to hang off the shop?

colt zantop

Well-known member

Jan 20, 2010

very cool! thanks for sharing

Buford T. Justice

Well-known member

Jan 20, 2010

Oh wow does that bring back memories! Thanks for posting this

v8muscle

Active member

Jan 20, 2010

That does bring back some memories. Also turned a rather crappy day into a good one!

Sure would like to find a picture like that of Dan Royan/Singer Ford in Columbus, Ohio. Father in Law worked there 30years.

Bill

The Hot Rod Grille

Well-known member

Jan 20, 2010

Falcon67 said:
Extra cool pics. Wouldn't you like to have one of those Ford neon signs to hang off the shop?

I already do! Mine came from Fred Sayre Motors in Ripley, WV. I've owned them for over 25 years. The large porcelain/neon was on a pole in front of the dealership and the smaller neon hung in the front showroom window. I've also got the Mercury sign from the same dealership, but don't currently have it displayed in my garage due to space limitations.

Jim

Last edited: Jan 20, 2010

slim53

Well-known member

Jan 20, 2010

This Ranchero is looking mighty good.

Slim

Art From De Leon

Well-known member

Jan 20, 2010

I don't understand why the styling of the 1958 Ford has so few followers, I like it a lot better than the '59, with its huge round tail lights, but they are even better looking than the 1960 models.

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Pure Oil

Well-known member

Jan 24, 2010

I really enjoyed all the pictures and the cars - amazing, besides Ford signage; Coke, S&H stamps, Gas; DX, Shell, Standard, Mobil, Texaco, - took 2 cups of Coffeee to get thru them all - Thanks for taking the time to put them all on here!!!

krusty the clown

Member Emeritus

Jan 24, 2010

trythis said:
I bought a building that was once a Ford Charcoal briquettes distributors building. Not the same as a car dealership, but I did find out that is where the ford in Kingsford came from.

the owners of ford charcoal was henry ford and e g kingsford..........having ford in the name kingsford was just a coincidence. the name was changed to kingsford later.

29bowtie

Well-known member

Jan 28, 2010

Those are great pics, I really like these ones. The one with the tractor in the showroom and the one that has grown to include "The Big House" next door, but I think they should have waited for that Impala to move away from the showroom in the last one here.

JerseyJim

Well-known member

Jan 28, 2010

Great post! I worked for Ray McGowan Ford in Ardmore, PA when I was in high school back in the mid-60's. The building was nested between the Pennsylvania RR's Main Line tracks and Lancaster Avenue with just the space of a wide sidewalk between the brick building and the street. The body shop was on the 2nd floor. You risked your life taking cars up there using the ramp on the outside of the building.

New cars came in with envelopes for each card. A 5 x 7 index card listed the stock number, serial number, model, and the equipment the car came with. On the back of the car, the sales manager would write a single number in each corner of the car starting in the upper left hand corner... 2-7-4-5 meant that the lowest a salesman could go on the car was $2745. Imagine how many corners we would need on cards at today's prices? Thank goodness for computers.

A lot of people made a reasonably good living at dealerships back in those days. People were loyal to car brands, dealers, and salesman and came back again and again. Salesman worked at dealerships for life. Your parents bought cars from him and took you to him when you were buying your first. Very different world.

Cyberbear

Well-known member

Nov 24, 2015

My first car was a 1940 Ford standard coupe, purchased in 1961 for $150.00. Followed by several '55 or '56 F-100 pick-up trucks. My only remaining old Fords are a 1937 1.5 ton flatbed truck, 1940 tractor, 1966 tractor and a 1938 General Motors fire engine.
The great old photos took me back to my early years growing up in the '50s and '60s.

NUTTSGT

Super Moderator

Staff member

Nov 24, 2015

Those are some great old photos and love to see the old school muscle and trucks sitting on the lots in new condition.

I need to get a pic of the dealership where I bought my truck this Summer.

SILVERPLATE

Well-known member

Nov 24, 2015

I did not see any I recognized but still a great collection and very neat to look thru. Thank you. Mike

Falcon67

Well-known member

Nov 24, 2015

More, some repeats
http://forums.fourtitude.com/showthread.php?5156036-Vintage-photos-Awesome!&p=84380408&viewfull=1

SO since I love old buildings I had to go on a hunt for fun, looking for anything "local"- Pryor OK building is still there:
https://www.google.com/maps/@36.306...FDKn1uDt20l4VkX6Ew!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

Last edited: Nov 24, 2015

George in Rancho Cordova

Well-known member

Nov 24, 2015

I always figured that Kingsford was Ford's brother-in-law that needed an income.

Stevie-Ray

Well-known member

Nov 24, 2015

That was great! I especially liked the Andress Ford picture that featured the 54 Country Squire in it's showroom. First car I can remember my dad having, and it looked exactly like the one in the pic. Mom always said she loved the heater in it. After Dad replaced it with a 59 Rambler wagon, she complained she froze. Got a 62 Fairlane after that and the good ol Ford heater was back. :lol: